Bitten
by SlashtasticFangirl
Summary: When a paranormal investigation goes awry, teenager Dib Membrane is bitten and turned into a vampire. Now it is up to Zim to save him from a life of blood-sucking immortality. The two begin to work together, and find themselves drawn to each other through the bizarre nature of their various misadventures with vampires and other paranormal creatures. Gradual ZADR.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yay, my first multi-chapter fic!

It was truly a bad habit. Sure, going after paranormal and strange creatures was what being a self-proclaimed paranormal investigator was all about- but this was ridiculous! He always got hurt somehow, and he was quite sick of it, to be honest. But this time, this case- they had taken the cake. It was that damn vampire's fault! The eighteenth-century pretty boy had wasted no time in sneaking up on Dib and bestowing upon him the kiss of death. Death of his human life, anyways . . . Now he was doomed to roam about an immortal, blood-thirsty savage; and that, Dib decided, was something he did not want to do.

So, as he knew that his father would simply call him crazy, he had to enlist his enemy to save him. After all, Zim had the best lab in the city (well, probably the world with his Irken technology), and Dib needed him. Boy, did that knowledge hurt going down! But the inevitable was inevitable, and Dib sighed as he knocked on the purple door to Zim's base, wondering how many times he had done that in the past seven years the alien had taken up residence here on Earth.

To the relief of Dib's inner coward, it was not the alien who opened the door, but his slightly dysfunctional robot, Gir, who made strange but kick-ass waffles. The peppy little robot squealed at the site of the lanky teen, paying no mind to the new paleness and fangs as he hugged him around the middle and said "It's been so long since you've been here, Mary! Why doesn't you visit no more? You make my piggy and my master sad! After all, master-"

"ENOUGH, GIR!"

The familiar screech made Dib sigh, and he turned to behold the green Irken, Zim, crossing his arms and studying him curiously. Dib gulped- he wasn't used to being stared at so intently. It made him uncomfortable. And hot . . . Not that he'd admit that. Maybe it was just the temperature inside the base . . . Sure, that was it. At any rate, something needed to be said, and Zim was never one to be short on words.

"So, Dib-stink, what brings you to my base? I haven't seen you in, what has it been, three months now?"

Dib nodded. "Almost seven, actually. I mean, with so many paranormal cases popping up, you can't expect me to stay at hi-skool and listen to teachers drone on about doom all day, right?" he laughed nervously, rubbing the scars on the side of his neck nervously. What he had said was true, but his evasion was not going unnoticed.

Zim raised a brow inquisitively. "Though I have grown accustomed to your ramblings, hyuman, I warn you that my patience wears thin. Spit it out! You must have a reason for getting past the re-vamped security gnomes just to see me. I know you do! What is it, human- tell me now!"

Dib smiled sadly and said "Actually, you can't insult me by calling me a human anymore."

Zim's antennae popped out of his wig in surprise. "What? What are you saying, Dib? Is this a trick?!" Zim hissed, antennae flattening against his skull. Dib shook his head gravely, and in the blink of an eye went from standing outside to the center of Zim's living room, and back again to stand beside Zim. The Irken gasped and flinched at Dib's sudden appearance, and Gir giggled manically.

"You fast now! Hee-hee!"

"What are you?" Zim whispered. Dib turned to face him directly, and opened his mouth to reveal a set of glistening, razor-sharp teeth. He then reached behind his glasses, and pulled out a honey-colored contact, revealing his now crimson irises. "A v-vampire?" Zim gaped and took a small, involuntary step back. "Why did you come here?!" he demanded, feeling slightly scared and confused as all hell.

Dib looked at him morosely, and said "Zim, I need your help. Please."

"And why do you think I would assist YOU, Earthling?" Zim snarled.

"Because you're the only one that can," Dib said quietly.

Zim stared at him for a few moments, and took in the desperation written across Dib's face. The teen was clearly frightened, and for good reason: Zim really was the only one who could help him. After all, humans had no technology capable of any useful task, and of course there was no technology as efficient and advanced as the Irken stock Zim had, or so Zim liked to think. A few more cruel seconds slipped by, and then the Irken said:" . . . okay. What do you want me to do?"

"Change me back. Make me a human again! I don't want to drink the blood of innocent people, or even bad people really . . . I mean, it is great that I'm so strong and fast now, but I can not become a murderer. I refuse! There's no way to avoid blood drinking when you're a vampire, and I don't wanna do it, even when my throat aches as it is now. I . . . I can't kill someone . . . " Dib's voice shook, and tears fell from his now mismatch colored eyes. Zim stared at him in silent horror, all traces of emotion wiped from his face as he tried to register all of the madness.

Finally, a noise from the kitchen startled Zim, who lead Dib to the toilet chute after yelling at Gir to clean up the tacos that had appeared all over the floor and walls. The two teens sped down to the lab in the tube, and the nearness of Zim made Dib's throat burn. The alien smelled so . . . . Exotic. Most humans smelled earthy, almost dirty, whereas Zim smelled like sugar and flowers and yum. Dib leaned forward, breathing the Irken in.

Zim quickly smacked the vampire. "What the hell, Dib?! If you continue to sniff me like I'm your dinner, you will face the wrath of ZIM!"

Dib quickly snapped out of it and said "Sorry, Zim. I haven't, er, eaten yet- I don't want to hurt anyone. Its just that . . . Well, you smell different than humans do, so you really-umm-drew me in."

Zim gave Dib his classic one eye open, the other eye squinted look and said "Eh? And just how do I smell different, Dib-meat?"

"Well, humans sort of smell like dirt, whereas you smell like, I don't know, cookies or flowers or something. You just . . . . You smell great." Dib looked down at his boots in shame, and as they arrived at the lab, Zim noticed the Dib blushing. Shrugging it off as a side-effect of hunger, Zim yelled at the computer to wake up and help him.

The computer groaned. "Uggh, what is it with this big-headed kid and your fixation with him?"

"My head's not big!" Dib yelled defensively.

"SILENCE!" roared Zim. "The probing begins now!"

"P-probing?!" Dib screeched. "Don't tell you plan on probing me?! Zim?!"

Zim grinned at him, flashing his zipper-like teeth as he said: "Computer! Prepare the blood and tissue extraction test, and scan his body." A loud clang echoed down the tube from the kitchen above. "And close off the toilet so that Gir can't get in here!"

"Slave-driver," the computer mumbled, proceeding to moodily do what it was commanded. Eventually, Dib had a syringful of blood taken, and some skin cells were scraped off of his knee.

"Okay, Dib-fangs, here's the deal," Zim said loudly, ignoring the eye roll he received from the teen. "According to the computer, it is biologically impossible to take all of the effects away. You are stuck as a vampire." Dib groaned and started to choke on tears. "I'm not finished!" yelled Zim. "As I said, you are stuck as a vampire, but there are certain parts of your vampire-ness that I may be able to eliminate or lessen."

Dib whipped his head up "Really? Like what?"

The eagerness in his blood-red eyes is almost cute, thought Zim, before mentally punching himself. "Er, oh yes, you're vampire-ness! As I was saying, I think that I can take away your skin's aversion to the sun and lessen your need for blood." Zim then inspected his gloved hands carefully, as though what he had just said was of little to no importance.

"That's great, Zim! But . . . How? I mean, what could make it possible for a vampire to live without an average amount of blood? Whatever is normal for vampires, anyways. . . "

Zim grinned devilishly, and said "Well, it just so happens that the mighty ZIM and his computer make a miraculous team. Once you were scanned, it showed that your skin, due to its death before reanimation, is weak to light. Therefore it becomes thinner and more flammable with more exposure to sunlight. I, as a mighty Irken, have superb protection against the sun built into my skin! I once burned my eyeballs off, but a few hours later they grew back fully functional. So, if I infuse you with my cells, you can have a protected epidermis." Zim smirked, and Dib raised his eyebrow.

"So tell me, Zim- how did you know all of that?"

"The almighty ZIM! knows all."

"Actually, he was just reading the report on my screen," the computer tattled, and Dib busted up laughing when Zim gave the computer the finger. Zim couldn't help himself, launching into a full rant as the computer sighed and printed out instructions for Dib's operation. It was weird how such a tragedy was almost becoming something akin to fun.

~~Comments? Reviews? Tell me how I'm doing! :)


	2. Chapters 2 and 3

"Alright, Dib-fangs, here's how this is going to work," Zim said authoritively. Dib, who was laying under a sheet on an operating table before the alien, sighed at the nickname. "I'm going to put you under, and then I will remove some of your fleshy skin cells to replace them with mine. However, since you don't want to be green like me (can't imagine why!), I'm going to increase your body's myelin levels to counteract my natural pigment. Got it?"

"Wait, what's myelin?" Dib asked.

"It's the thing in your skin cells that gives you color," Zim said distractedly as he punched codes into the screen next to him.

'Wow,' thought Dib. 'He was so stupid when we were younger. What happened?' "Say, how did you get to be so smart all of a sudden, Zim?"

"Hmm? Well, if you must know, I didn't have anything better to do when you left. Besides, uh, take over the world and stuff! Yes, the Earth is mine! Mine! MUAHAH- cough! Ack!"

The vampire smiled and shook his head. It had been years since Zim had really tried to take over the planet; after he found out that the Tallest's had lied about his 'secret mission', he basically stopped caring. However, Dib fuelled him on with a source of rivalry and companionship that no one else offered. But back to the task at hand . . . Zim stopped hacking his lungs out and was adjusting all sorts of knobs, dials, and levers for the metal contraption that loomed over the table. Dib gulped audibly as he stared at the robotic arms and various projections sticking out of the machine, and nervously asked: "This is going to work, right Zim?"

The Irken soldier turned to look at him directly, magenta eyes to crimson. "Yes, Dib," said Zim firmly. "Because it has to." He then whisked around to return to programming the screen, and he left Dib a few moments to think.

'Whoa, he's so serious! Here I am all worried, and he's just as calm and strong as can be . . .' Dib thought. 'Damn, I hope he's right, though. It's hard to put so much trust in him, but he's all I've got right now. I don't have a choice to back out now. I either trust him to try and change me back, or I do nothing and end up killing innocent people.' He shuddered. 'Obviously, that's not what I want to do. It's strange that Zim even cares, that he's gone through this much trouble already to help me. I really don't think he's gonna hurt me. It doesn't all make sense, but I trust him.'

"Computer!" Zim called. "Ready the sleeping gas and lower the machine!" The computer grudgingly did what was demanded, and a plastic mask hovered inches above Dib's pale lips, suspended by an arm of the machine. Zim looked down at the teenager, and felt an uncontrollable pang of worry. "So, um, you'll be fine," he said. "I'm not worried at all, so you shouldn't be either. You ready, Dib-stink?"

Dib nodded. "Ready."

"Alright. The skin procedure will be the first of several surgeries to try to get rid of your vampire traits, so I may work on more than just your skin if you stay out of it long enough. Is that alright?"

"Uh, yeah . . . Yeah, that's okay. Just stop some of this, as much as you can," Dib pleaded.

"I'll try to stop it all, Dib, and I promise I'll at least stop some of it." With that, Zim put the mask over the vampire's mouth, and he lost consciousness almost instantly. The alien sighed as he took off the sheet and guided a large needle-tipped tube into one of Dib's veins and carefully began to fill his body with electrolytes and protein fluids- anything to help his body stay strong. Meanwhile, the machine was using microscopic lasers to peel back layers of his skin bit by bit, and when it was almost done, Zim injected the newly exposed basal lamina with Irken skin cells, and watched as a fibrous green web of cells began to form a new epidermal layer. Zim then gave Dib shots of concentrated myelin all over his body, and the pigment mixed into the rapidly growing Irken skin, changing it to a pale flesh-tone instead of green or ghostly-pale like before.

All in all, the skin-strengthening operation took less than half an hour, thanks to the rate of Irken skin growth. So, since Dib was still under anesthesia, Zim decided to work on his fangs. He tried everything, from trying to dull the fangs by force to just pulling them out. But they refused to budge, and the groans coming from Dib proved that it was not a pleasant experience for him. So, Zim decided that the fangs would have to remain. He worked on Dib late into the night, and it was only when the faint rays of dawn were coming up that he stopped.

He sagged with tiredness and strain, but knew that he had to keep an eye on Dib to see if he had any adverse reactions to the procedures. With a yawn, Zim decided that the Dib-thing would just have to be next to him while he slept. Groaning, Zim hoisted the teen onto a floating platform and led it towards his room. Once the doors slid open, he guided the platform next to his bed and had it ease Dib downward. After hooking Dib up to a few observation monitors and some drip bags, Zim curled up on his bed and passed out.

Eventually, Dib woke up on his own accord, and found himself lying in a huge bed with IV's attached to his arms. He moaned in pain: all of his muscles felt sore, his jaw hurt, and his skin felt itchy and rubbery at the same time. He took a moment to stretch and found out the hard way that his muscles were just as sore as he'd suspected. Gritting his teeth, he groaned and turned his head to the side and saw a sleeping Irken beside him. Curious, Dib craned his head to the bedside table by Zim and saw that it was late in the afternoon already.

'Woah,' Dib thought, 'I can't believe he worked on me for so long! He must be exhausted. I can't believe he's doing all of this for me. I-I guess I really missed him when I was away, too . . . ' A small smile crept onto the sorta-vampire's face, and he let it linger there as he examined his body. His flesh was now a creamy, healthy flesh color, instead of the sickly pale white it had been before. He sighed in relief- at least Zim had gotten one thing right. But to really see what had been changed, he needed a mirror. He sat up and began to look around for a bathroom door when a scent caught his nose. A wonderful scent. A wonderful, appetizing, sugary, delicious . . .

Dib stopped that train of thought as soon as he started to drool. He knew he was smelling Zim; clearly, his blood lust was not yet gone. 'I've gotta get out of his bed!' Dib thought wildly. 'I need to calm down!' So, with a heave and a grunt later, he pushed himself off of the bed and quickly padded over to the master bathroom.

The hunger faded when he entered the bathroom, and he leaned his head against the cool metal wall for a moment before turning to the mirror above the sink. Dib sighed in relief when he saw that the scars on his neck were now gone (since his skin had been re-grown), but he frowned a little when he saw that his fangs were still the same size as before. "I'll ask Zim about them once he wakes up," he decided aloud. He then tried to wash his face, only to find that no water came out of the sink.

"Oh yeah, water hurts him. Crap! How am I supposed to get clean then?!" Dib griped.

"Dib-thing, is that you?" a sleepy Irken voice enquired from outside of the door.

Almost immediately, the sweet scent began to fill Dib's nose and it took a lot of will power for him to say: "Uhhh, yeah, sorry to wake you. Do you . . . . Do you need the bathroom?"

"No, Zim is fine, but I want to check on you."

Dib's cheeks warmed and his throat burned as the smell grew stronger- the alien was almost pressing himself to the door. "I'm ok Zim, really, just a bit sore." As a reminder of this, his body twinged. "Ow! Eheh. Look, I'm fine, and you sound beat anyways. Just g-go back to bed."

"I INSIST UPON SEEING MY PATIENT AT ONCE!" Zim screeched, pounding on the door.

"But Zim, I-" Dib started, then was cutoff as two PAK legs speared through the sides of the door. "YAAAAAAHHH, WHAT THE HELL ZIM?!" Dib screamed as the door was yanked off of its hinges and thrown aside. The Irken smirked and looked pleased to have reached his patient, despite said patient's protests. However, he had unleashed a very real threat, because Dib was staring at him like he was a treat.

Zim's smirk faded. "D. . .Dib-fangs?" he asked in a tight voice. "Are you alright?"

Dib's vision honed in on Zim's neck, and he almost went crazy when he saw the alien swallow nervously. "Z-Zim . . . You should go. Just g-give me a minute," the teen rasped, fighting for control. His throat burned so bad!

"No, I need to check on you." Zim said authoritively, striding closer.

"Stop!" Dib cried, throwing his hand out in front of him. "Look, you smell really great right now and I don't know if I can control this. Please, just go!"

"Oh. . . Okay, Dib," Zim said cautiously as he took a step back toward the bedroom door, "I'm leaving."

But his scent was simply stronger as he moved around, and as the intoxicating scent reached Dib, he licked his lips and lost all control. "Not fast enough," he whispered, and pounced on Zim.


	3. Chapter 4

Dib's body collided with Zim's in the time it takes to blink. The force of the blow knocked the breath out of Zim, and Dib panted out of blood lust above him as the terrified Irken paled and stared up at him with hard eyes,

"Dib," Zim said, uncertainty creeping into his authoritive tone, "You will get off of me NOW, or . . ." Dib licked his lips. "O-or else I'll v-vaporize you or something!"

Dib closed his eyes tight and tried not to breathe, but his body seemed unwilling to move. This was where he wanted to be and he knew it; this power over the other, so close to tasting him, felt overwhelming.

"T-this is wrong!" Dib choked out, but his body did not waver. Instead, he inclined his head until his hot breathe was against Zim's neck. The vampire's nose nudged the pale green neck, and for a few agonizing seconds he allowed his tongue to trail across the warm, inviting skin that greeted his senses.

"Dib-fangs, don't you dare do it!" Zim screeched. "Only your skin is fixed- if you bite me, who knows how my Irken body will react. I could turn! I could DIE!"

Dib's crimson eyes snapped open and met with Zim's wide ones, and a crystal clear thought coursed through his blood-hazed mind. Zim . . . Die?! No- no no NO, no way in hell was he gonna let that happen, let alone make it happen! His mental willpower winning out, he began to push himself off of the other, his arms and hands shaking with the effort it took to remove himself. After a moment of hesitation, he came to a standstill in the far corner of the room. Zim sighed with relief- atleast the boy he knew still had enough restraint to avoid eating him- for now.

"Zim," Dib whispered, voice hoarse from the burning ache in his throat.

"Yes?" Zim asked cautiously as he brought himself to a standing position.

"I . . . I'm so . . . So sorry," he rasped, voice breaking with emotions. Zim shrugged nonchalantly, doing his best to hide the resonant fear. "Eh, just don't try that again and we'll be fine, Dib-fangs."

"I'm serious Zim, this isn't something to just shrug off!" Dib yelled. "I mean, you were right- you could die if I bite you. We have no idea how Irken DNA would react with a vampire's. Your guess is as good as mine, and I'm willing to bet it would hurt you more than it would turn you. So just . . . Keep wooden stakes handy, ok? I . . . I can't stand the thought of hurting you. Ever." His heart swam with pain at the mere thought of hurting Zim, but before he could analyze his feelings the alien started to leave the room. "Zim, wait! I . . . I want you to promise me something," he said, straightening his spine and meeting Zim's unwavering eyes.

"What?"

"If I ever try that again, kill me."


	4. Chapter 5

The hours after Dib's lapse in control were dragging and filled with awkward pauses. Dib was clearly distracted, never seeming to focus fully on anything, and it was bugging Zim. No matter how many times the alien tried to tell Dib that he was fine and that he hadn't bitten him after all, the worried boy just shook his head sadly and stared out the window. The topic of killing Dib if he tried anything again was avoided like the plague. Honestly, Zim just wanted to erase Dib's memory of the morning, but the Computer felt over-worked and refused to aid him in that respect. Even Gir was in low spirits, sensing the tension in the air between his master and the nice boy who's head smelled like a puppy. Eventually, the amount of sheer moping in Zim's base reached a high and Dib felt antsy for some fresh air.

Abandoning his spot on the worn purple couch, Dib tugged on his blue t-shirt in dismay. He had been wearing the same shirt for days, and though he washed it when he got to Zim's, it still felt scratchy. He needed new clothes, and thanks to his Irken ally, he could now go out in the day to get some. He honestly didn't worry much about feeling thirsty among humans- Zim smelled ten times better than any of them. Groaning about said fact, he headed down the chute to the underground lab, where his host was staring at a slide under a microscope.

Zim looked up at the sound of footsteps and said "Eh, what's up?"

"I'm gonna go out. I need some air, and some new clothes," Dib said, tugging on a hole in the bottom of his shirt for emphasis.

"Fine, just give me a minute to put my disguise on," Zim said, hopping off of his chair and heading to a cabinet where his wigs were kept.

"Wait, wha- Zim, you shouldn't come with me. Besides, I'll be fine on my own."

Zim gave Dib the stink eye and said "No. I'm going with you, Dib-fangs, whether you like it or not."

"I . . . I won't attack anyone if I go myself -really," the teen said painfully. "Even if I am at war with myself most of the time now, I can control myself around humans, just . . . Just not you, Zim."

The aforementioned alien's antennae rose. "I'm not going because I don't trust you, Dib. I'm going because I don't want you to be alone right now, even if it is harder for you to control yourself around me. I don't care."

"Don't you get it? I'm most dangerous to you! YOU, Zim. So tell me, why would you go with me when me being alone keeps you safe for a few hours?"

"Look, I don't care about this morning-" Zim started.

"But you should, that's the problem!" Dib yelled in exasperation.

"I wasn't finished! Now shut up and listen to me!" Zim commanded. "I don't care about this morning because you almost bit me. Almost means that you could have, but you didn't. And I just did a slide test of my DNA with that of a vampire's, and it won't kill me even if you do happen to bite me. Besides I-"

"You dumbass! Your blood tempts me more than anyone else's; can't you see?" Dib growled.

"I said silence! We're done discussing this. I won't die from your bite, I'm not leaving you alone when your skin is so new, and I'm going with you; that's all." With a final huff, Zim pulled on a his wig and blue contacts before saying "Let's go, Dib-puke," in a clipped voice. The teen growled at his new nickname but grudgingly followed Zim out of the base and into the street.


	5. Chapter 6

The mall was a dirty, crowded place full of busy bodies, shopaholics, and screaming toddlers. But to Dib, it was a comforting sight. He welcomed the smell of the food court, the sound of squeaking shoes and too many conversations, and the sight of people cramped together in their need to shop. It had been too long.

"Dib-thing," Zim said, waving his hand in front of the teen's eyes to get his attention.

"Huh? What?"

"Why do you look so pleased to be here among these filthy, filthy people?" Zim asked, obvious disgust coloring his voice.

"Well, I didn't get to go to malls much when I was out investigating. I didn't actually go to very many public places at all, since a lot of the creatures I was after lived in the wild or rural areas. I guess . . . I guess I just missed being around people like this. And it feels normal. I'm sorry I was so stubborn about you coming with me earlier," Dib said apologetically. "But on the bright side, the food court is blocking out most of your scent."

"Great, great, uh-huh," Zim said, clearly distracted as he looked intently at the escalators.

"What are you looking at? The escalators?"

"Hmm yes. What exactly is the purpose of these es-ski-late-yours? The humans on them seem to be moving without walking. It its purpose to grind passengers to a pulp once they reach the end?"

Dib chuckled and said "Of course not. Just watch that lady as she gets off. See? All you have to do is step off of the stairs once you reach the bottom. They just make getting to other levels of the mall easier."

"Aww, so no humans are made into pulp? They just let everyone be lazy?" Zim asked sadly.

"Yup, pretty much. And we're gonna be lazy too. Come one, we're going up," Dib said, tugging on Zim's sleeve.

"Uhh, I'm fine staying down here with the smelly food courts. You go up yourself," the Irken said nervously, edging away from the escalators slowly.

"Zim, what's the matter with you?" Dib asked in annoyance. "Are you-"

"THE MIGHTY ZIM IS NOT SCARED!" he shrieked, hiding behind a column.

"I can't believe this; you're scared of an escalator! If only I could have seen you freak out like this as a kid-it would have made my day. Come on, Zim, it won't grind you into a pulp, I promise. Look, I'll get on to prove it to you," Dib said, stepping onto the crowded ascending escalator. "See? It's easier than-"

"THE ES-SKI-LATE-YOUR ATE DIB!" Zim yelled. "BACK AWAY, MEAT BAGS, I'M COMING THROUGH!" he bellowed, charging at the escalator and jumping. "Dib-thing!" he cried. "Answer me if you're not pulp yet!" The teenager sighed and wormed his way through the crowd until he stood by the confused alien, who was currently standing on the hand rail and trying not to fall off.

"I'm right here, Zim- it didn't eat me."

"Dib! Uh . . . I knew that! I was just testing to see how your fellow humans would react if one of you got eaten. Clearly, they wouldn't care," he said, trying to pass as nonchalant.

" Yeah, sure Zim. Now let's go, we're at the top," Dib said. But just as he was stepping over the last moving stair, Zim shoved him off of the escalator toward the dirty tile floor. Vampire reflexes kicking in, he managed to right himself before he hit the ground, so he turned to glare at the Irken.

"Eh, there was a bug on your face," Zim lied, hopping off of the hand rail. "Now let's go."

"Whatever. All right, there's a good store on the left there that I'm going to. Are you coming with me?" Dib asked.

"Sure. I've never been here anyway."

So the two headed into the store, where Dib kept an eye on Zim to make sure he didn't break anything or mistake a cash register as a weapon of some sort. Skimming through the clothing racks, Dib made his way up and down the aisles, grabbing shirts as he went along. Looking over his shoulder, he was surprised to see Zim holding up a re hoodie with interest.

"See something you like, Zim?" Dib inquired, making his way over to the other.

"Uh- of course not! Nothing in this wretched place pleases me." And with that being said, Zim flung the hoodie onto the floor, receiving a sharp glare from a sales associate.

Dib sighed and picked up the garment. "Look, I know you don't like the mall, but you can't keep wearing old Irken uniforms. Hell, you'd blend in better if you wore human clothes anyway." Zim pouted as Dib examined his selection. "It's cute," Dib said, "And it looks like it will fit you. You're getting it."

"Oh no I'm not! I will not stoop so low as to wear human mall clothes!"

"Yes you will," Dib said authoritatively, putting the hoodie onto the pile with his clothes. Zim looked pissed and embarrassed, but the sound of Dib's firm voice had him too scared to protest. It must've been the fangs. Once Dib had bought some new clothes for himself and the hoodie for Zim, the pair headed off to another store, where Dib was trying on some new jeans and boots in a changing stall. He didn't notice the green head that popped up from under his stall until it spoke.

"What is the purpose of these concealing boxes, Dib-fangs?"

The poor surprised teenager flailed in shock."Jesus, Zim, you just gave me a heart attack!" Dib whispered angrily. "I can't believe you snuck up on a vampire!"

"I want to know what these are for," the green one said, as though that covered his intrusion.

Dib growled in frustration as his cheeks warmed to a pale blush. "Look, the purpose its to hide people while they try on clothes. I'm trying on clothes, so I would like to be hidden. Now get out of here!"

Zim cocked his head to the side curiously and examined the embarrassed boy from head to toe. Aside from bared legs, he didn't see much of a physical change. However, he had to admit that Dib looked good . . . shaking his head in confusion, he asked: "Why hide yourself? You don't look much different than before."

"I'm in my underwear, shit-for-brains! GTFO!"

Although Zim didn't know the meaning of GTFO, he could sometimes take a hint, so he left. But he puzzled over the image of Dib in his underwear for the rest of the mall trip. Something about seeing him that way was making the Irken feel funny, and he wanted to know why.

~~~ Sorry the update took so long, but I've been a busy bee! Get ready for some action in the upcoming chapter ;) And for a limited time offer, those who review this story will get a free, invisible toaster oven! Lucky you :b


	6. Chapter 7

~~~A/N: To my guest reviewers, I cannot message you back, but thank you for the support. I haven't gotten many reviews, so I sorta stopped writing this in favor of another story. However, I shall continue writing if you continue reviewing. Enjoy!

Once Dib had pants on again, he bought some more clothes for he and Zim (the Irken, of course, protested). The pair then headed to the food court, where Dib stared longingly at the ice cream stand.

"They always had my favorite flavor," he said fondly. "They're the only place in town that makes pumpkin spice shakes year-round. Guess I can't really eat them anymore, though." Zim felt a pang of guilt wash over him at the sight of Dib's smile through sadness.

"Maybe if I try again," Zim suggested, "If I try operating on you again, maybe I can find a way to return your diet to normal."

Dib sighed. "You've already done a lot to fix me, Zim. Even though I want this thirst to go away, I don't want to inconvenience you any more than I already have."

Zim blushed green but shrugged nonchalantly. "Do not flatter yourself, Dib-fangs. I have nothing better to do than fix you. Besides . . . I won't give up on you." Dib smiled at the Irken's commitment; it felt nice to finally get along with him after all those years.

"Thanks, Zim, that means a lot to m-"

"It's you!" a female voice sang out. "I've been looking all over for you!" Suddenly, two pale arms wrapped around Dib's waist and she cooed in his ear: "I found you!"

"What the- let go of me!" Dib cried, yanking himself out of her grasp to turn and face her. He had never seen her before in his life, which was made more obvious by the fact that she was so unforgettably beautiful. She was a red-red with long curls that tumbled down her back, and her pale face was thin and faery-like. Her form-fitting green dress enhanced her green eyes, and she looked very out of her element in the mall. In fact, when she smiled, Dib could swear he saw a glint of fangs in her mouth. Who was this woman?

"Who are you?" the teen asked as Zim stepped beside him protectively. "Why do you act like you know me?"

The woman smiled and said: "You would not be able to pronounce my name if you tried, so just call me Ela. Now, Dib darling, would you mind coming outside so that we can talk? I abhor being around crowds of humans like this if they aren't dancing."

The teen and the Irken raised their eyebrows: she had admitted that she wasn't human, but what did that make her? She had slightly pointed ears and an accent, something akin to a brogue. Perhaps she was an Irish faery?

"Fine, we'll go outside with you," Dib said, curiosity getting the better of him. "There's a park down the street."

"I don't want _him _to come," Ela said, glaring at Zim.

The Irken was about to get in her face when Dib put a hand on his chest and said: "He's coming with us, like it or not. If you don't let him come, I won't come either."

Ela smirked and sidled closer to the half-vampire, locking her eyes onto his and purring: "_Are you sure you wouldn't rather be alone with me?_"

"I . . . what?" Dib asked confusedly, shaking his head as though to clear it. "N-no . . . Zim comes with us or else."

Ela frowned. "You're stronger than I thought if you can resist my glamors. Fine, have it your way. Bring the alien- but do not let him get in the way."

Zim grumbled but followed Dib and Ela as they exited the mall. As they walked across the street, Dib whispered to Zim: "I'll have to ask her to be sure, but I think I know what monster she is. A Baobhan Sith; it makes sense with her talk of glamors and dancing."

"What is she?" Zim asked confusedly.

"A Scottish vampiress, descendant from faeries. They were known for wearing green, enchanting men, and being very beautiful. She fits the description perfectly."

"Why, thank you!" Ela purred at the sort-of compliment. Dib jumped in surprise- she was at least thirty feet ahead of them, and he had whispered. "You're not the only one with enhanced senses, half-vampire boy," she said with a wink. "Come, I see a tree that is just asking me to sit in it." She skipped ahead of them, clamoring up a tall willow and resting on a sturdy branch. Dib and Zim stared up at her.

"Can you climb that high?" Dib asked the alien.

"Not without my Pak legs," he admitted, staring up at the steep climb that lacked any branches to grasp. "But I don't want anyone to know that I have those, _especially _her."

Dib shrugged. "Oh, come on Zim, she doesn't seem that bad. We'll keep an eye on her and I'm sure everything will work out fine. But I need to talk to her. Would you mind staying down here while I go up there? I'm strong enough now to climb it."

Zim frowned. "I suppose. But come back in one piece, Dib-fangs. I don't trust her." The teen started climbing, lack of lower branches not impeding him as his strong fingers gripped the bark.

"I'll be fine, Zim. You'll see."

Once Dib reached the branch, he sat beside Ela and examined her. Her hair seemed to shine, even in the fading evening light, and her eyes sparkled unnaturally. Her outfit, too, seemed unreal, the style looking as though her dress had been made centuries ago. Her necklace consisted of a cut crystals dangling from a leather band, which hung low o her chest in between her generous breasts. These creatures were made to tempt men, and Ela was no exception.

"So," Dib started, "you're clearly a Baobhan Sith. What are you doing in America, and why do you want to see me?"

"I traveled here to meet you and you alone. You are one of a kind, the only vampire to venture into the sun without fear. Even now your alien pet seeks to remove certain elements of your gift with his machines. Your blood is now a mixture unseen in any other century, which makes you a rare and special find. You should feel lucky that you still have your fangs and hunger left. Do not let him change any more of you!"

Dib frowned at her. "First of all, Zim is not my 'pet', he's my . . . room mate. And secondly, I don't feel lucky. I was not given a gift by the vampire who bit me, I was given a curse. I don't want to kill people for their blood, I want to be a normal human again. And my mix of blood isn't special, it's an attempt to make me more human so I can go into the sunlight."

She raised a perfectly trimmed brow. "You are special, Dib; do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Your and your gifts are beyond valuable." He sulked and looked away. "Come; dance with me!" Ela said, grabbing his hand and pulling him up on the branch. "You still have the strength and reflexes of a vampire, so we can dance here if we wish."

The branch barely swayed under them as they stood, and Dib marveled at their balance. However, something was bugging him. Dancing was significant to the Baobhan Sith, but he couldn't remember how. Should he dance with her?

"_Dance_!" she crooned, taking his hands and spinning him around. She laughed and began stepping this way and that, getting closer and closer to him as her body swayed back and forth. Dib gulped as Ela brushed up against him mid-step, her green eyes twinkling as she laughed and moved. The teen felt himself loosen up; this was fun! He should be able to have fun, right? So he danced with her, unaware of what had begun.

Zim, meanwhile, was stuck on the ground. It was dark now, the sun having set, and he could hardly see the two vampires as they danced up in the tree. "Stupid Dib," he sighed. "Talking to stupid Ela. I don't have a good feeling about her . . ." He squinted up at the tree again and could just make out two figures moving around. "They're dancing? Why?" Zim pondered. Uncomfortable, he took out something very much like an I-pad and turned it on. "Computer," he instructed, "search 'Baobhan Sith' and 'dancing.'" The pad pulled relevant data from the internet and presented it to Zim, who read it quickly and gasped in horror at what he saw. "I have to save Dib!" he cried, Pak legs protruding as he jumped on the tree. "I just hope I'm not too late!"

Ela spun Dib around and around, laughing as she repeatedly hit him with glamors. He looked blissful, and completely unaware of his fate. She smirked; his rare blood would certainly boost her powers, and make her the Queen Baobhan Sith of Scotland!

"Dib," she purred, scooting closer to him, "do you find me attractive?"

Something flickered in the boy's eyes and he said: "You're a beautiful woman, but for me personally, no." Rage flashed in Ela's eyes; how dare he?! She hit him with another glamor, this one stronger than the last. "Now do you find me attractive?" Dib nodded dumbly, rubbing his head confusedly. "Good," she hissed, leaning in to kiss and lick his neck. "Mm, your mixed blood is appetizing,"she groaned. "Human, vampire, Irken . . . I my have to sample that pet of yours when I'm done with you. He does smell very sweet."

Dib, still in a haze from the glamors, said: "Zim . . .not . . . my pet . . ." Ela rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say, Dib." She leaned in close to his neck and brushed her nose up against his main artery, smiling viciously as her fangs protruded. "Whatever you say." She bit down, and Dib's blood began to flow down his neck and into her mouth. The pain snapped Dib out of his haze and he cried out. "Stop it, Ela! Stop!" he shoved her, but he was weakened from the dance and the blood loss and Ela hardly seemed to notice his efforts. Luckily, Zim was just arriving.

"Let go of my Dib-thing, filth!" he yelled. "Or suffer my Irken rage!" She chuckled and pulled off of Dib's neck momentarily.

"You think a weakling like you could stop me? Even Dib, with his strength, has crumpled under my efforts. What makes you any different?"

Zim growled as his vision glazed over with anger. "You think I'm weak? Weak!? Well, Ela, I did my research. I know about your weakness as well!"

Her eyes narrowed and she lowered her head to Dib's neck. "You're bluffing," she said calmly, licking blood off of the boy's neck. "You know nothing, alien."

The word seemed to awaken Dib slightly, as he groaned hoarsely: "Zim . . . get outta here . . . she wants . . . you too."

Ela resumed feeding, and the Irken, fueled by rage, rushed forward with his Pak legs protruding. Ela scarcely had time to look up before three legs pierced her chest.

She chuckled as blood came out of her mouth. "You think spearing me is enough to kill me, little pet?"

"No," Zim said with a chuckle, "but you're part faery, aren't you? Spearing you with iron should do the trick."

Her eyes widened in fear, and sure enough, her wounds began to emit dark smoke. "Gyaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!" she shrieked, blood gushing from the punctures. "It burns!" Her body writhed in pain as she wailed, and she released Dib in a desperate attempt to get away. But her attempt was for naught; he had pierced her heart with the iron- derived legs, and she wailed as her body crumpled and disappeared.

Zim laughed; 'weak', as if! But the Dib . . . "Dib-thing!" he yelled, straining to see him in the dark. "Dib-thing, where are you?" The boy groaned as his body began to slide off of the branch, only a shred of his incredible strength remaining as he struggled to hold himself up. "Dib!" Zim cried, rushing over to the teen and scooping him up into his arms. "Don't worry, we're going home to the base! You'll be fine!"

Zim whipped out his communicator and called Gir. "Get over to the park now!" he commanded. "Dib is hurt!"

The robot squealed in horror. "Mary can't be hurt! I'll be right there, master! I won't even bring tacos this time!" The crazed robot flew through the wall and zoomed to the park.

"Th- thank for s-saving me, Zim," Dib choked out. "It m-means a lot to me . . . to have a friend right now." He smiled faintly and closed his eyes tiredly. The Irken felt a wave of panic course through him. He had a friend, and he was hurt.

"Gir is almost here," he reassured the half-vampire, holding him close and putting pressure on the bite wound. "Just hold on, Dib. Be strong a little longer."

~~~Was it good? Bad? Ugly? Review, please!


	7. Chapter 8

A/N: Intense last chapter, right? Enjoy!

Gir promptly picked up Zim and Dib, and rocketed them back to the base. The little robot started crying hysterically as soon as they set foot in the house, as Dib was not moving, and had his eyes shut tight in fitful unconsciousness.

"Hush, Gir!" Zim yelled, rummaging through a drawer until he found gauze. "I need to focus." The Irken went over to Dib, who was lying on the couch, and picked him up gently before heading down to the lab. Once they were down there, Dib was laid out on an exam table, and Zim off his bloody shirt to check for wounds. Seeing none other than the bite wounds, he set about cleaning Dib's neck and wrapping it gently. He then gave the boy a shot of morphine to hopefully ease his pain, and another shot of adrenaline to hopefully boost his immune system. With that, there was nothing more to do, so the alien pulled up a chair next to the table and waited. He fervently hoped that Dib would turn out fine.

Morning crept up slowly, but as the lab was underground, Dib could only guess the time as he awoke with a start. Rubbing his heavy eyes, he squinted and looked around, spying Zim asleep in a chair next to him.

Dib grinned lightly. _'Pushover,' _he thought, slowly stretching. His neck throbbed gently, and he had a headache. His body felt pretty good, albeit a little stiff. On the whole, his pain was minor. _'Last night could have been so much worse. I can't believe I was stupid enough to trust her; letting my guard down is what helped her glamors take effect. But damn, she sure used a lot of them,' _he thought, wincing as his head pounded from the magical manipulation. _'If it weren't for Zim, I'd be dead . . . well, dead-er. I'm so lucky that he saved me.' _The half-vampire's eyes shone in the dim laboratory as he smiled at the sleeping alien and quietly got off of the table. He crept up to the occupied chair and smiled down at it, and he knew his heart would be racing if it were still beating.

"I don't know what it is about you," he whispered, "but I can't hate you anymore. I feel like we're connected somehow, especially since you keep saving my ass. But-" he sighed. "But I'm putting you in danger. What if other creatures come looking for me? I don't want to endanger you. I," his voice cracked and his crimson eyes teared up, "I think I should go." The Irken's antennae twitched ever so slightly. "I can't have you hurt. G-goodbye, space boy." Dib turned to leave, but jumped in surprise when he felt a firm grip wrap around his arm and pull him backward. "Zim?!" he cried, quickly twisting his body to keep from falling. "What the hell?!"

The Irken flashed his zipper-like teeth menacingly. "If you EVER talk like that again, Dib-thing, I will not hesitate to strap you to that table!"

"You heard me? I though you were asleep!" Dib wailed at the injustice of it all.

"There aren't many sounds that can get past these," Zim said, proudly gesturing to his antennae. "You would do well to remember that. Now, why would you want to leave me?"

Dib blinked; that sentence had sounded . . . awkward. But he didn't have time to over-analyze it, as an angry Irken was still looking at him expectantly. "I . . . I don't want you getting hurt if others like Ela come. Besides, I've been a burden to you ever since I came here with all the surgeries you've done on me. I like staying here with you, but I don't think I can keep being here if it means you'll get hurt." He bit his lip; he was being pretty straight forward.

Zim raised his brow."Dib-meat, if you think you're getting away that easily, you have another thing coming. You're my guest here, and you're staying so that I can fix you more. Got it?" His antennae flattened against his skull in an intimidating manner, and he hoped that he had convinced the boy to stay. _'If Dib leaves . . .' _Zim thought worriedly, _'If he leaves, I'll be . . . sad.'_

"I- yes," the half-vampire sighed. "I won't try leaving again, I promise."

"Good," the alien sighed. "Now, how are you feeling?"

"A small headache, but other than that I'm fine," Dib shrugged. "I'd like to change, though," he said, blushing as he realized his shirt was gone. "But we left the clothes at the park, didn't we?"

"I sent Gir to retrieve them last night," Zim said, "knowing him, they should show up in a few hours."

Dib chuckled; the robot was crazy, but he was cute, too. Zim stirred, and Dib watched out of the corner of his eye as the Irken came to a stand before him, looking worried. "What is it?" Dib asked softly.

"Last night, when I carried you in here, you were bleeding so much . . . I suppose I was worried."

"I'm fine now, thanks to you. You saved me." Dib smiled genuinely. "Really, thank you."

"Just don't do that again," Zim rasped, emotions overwhelming him. Between the terror of the night prior and Dib almost leaving, he was feeling stressed and confused. "You know, you called me something for the first time last night . . ." he began, hoping to spark Dib's memory.

"I called you my friend," Dib said with a sweet smile. "Because it's true. Even when we were kids, I think I always knew we'd end up together . . . um, as friends," he flushed, cursing himself for tripping over his words. "Are you my friend?" he asked nervously, fearing the answer.

_'I've never really had a friend,' _Zim thought. _'And this is Dib; how can I say no?' _"Yeah," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "We are."

Without thinking, the teen leaned forward to hug the alien, only realizing what he had done after his arms were around Zim. "Uh," he said, stepping back. "Sor-"

"I've never had one of those, except from Gir," Zim said. "It . . . is okay to do that, Dib." The Irken flushed happily, and the half-vampire smiled and showed his fangs. "You said my name right!"

Zim snapped out of his haze. "Well, don't get used to it, Dib-fangs," he drawled, heading to the chute. "Come, your clothes should be up here." The teen followed him and did an inner dance of joy. He didn't know how, but somehow the morning had gone from bad to perfect.

~~~Reviews make me happy!


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